Sun shades for hats are well known in the prior art, as can be seen by reference to U.S. Pat. Nos. 65,871; 317,972; 819,324; 128,780 and 642,440. All of the references cited are characterized by the fact that they are intended for use with felt or other soft material hats, and are not designed for use with a protective headgear such as that required in the construction trades, when the workers are on site. With the exception of the Thratt patent, all of the prior art devices have employed a relative soft pliable material, which would not provide any sort of protection from falling objects.
In recent years, it has been generally accepted by both the medical field and the public generally that excessive and constant exposure to the ultra-violet rays of the sun greatly increase a person's chances of contracting skin cancer. Those working in the construction trade are often required to work long hours for days on end, or even an entire summer season with their heads largely exposed to such rays.
Since the extensive development of the western mountain areas for recreation such exposure is increasingly common in high elevations where the rays are more dangerous even during the winter months and doubly so due to snow and ice reflection. Since a construction tradesman is required to wear protective headgear against falling objects on such jobs, it follows that a sun shield which can be conveniently mounted and dismounted on such headgear, yet constructed so as to positively stay in place, fills a need not available among prior art devices.
The instant invention was developed specifically as an extension for a construction trademan's protective headgear, which is intended to not only provide protection from the direct rays of the sun, but also acts as a deflector of rain or other falling particles, such as might be encountered at a construction site.
The prior art devices are further characterized by the fact that they are either complex in assembly, are unsuited for the particular purposes envisioned due to the material from which they are constructed, or are bulky and occupy too much space for convenient and repeated use by the end user.